


Life in Technicolor

by RonnieSilverlake



Series: We Never Change [3]
Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: Dorks, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Humor, M/M, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-06
Updated: 2013-06-06
Packaged: 2017-12-14 03:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/832292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonnieSilverlake/pseuds/RonnieSilverlake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>oh love, don't let me go / won't you take me where the streetlights glow?</i><br/>three lovers, one afternoon of a continuity of surprises.<br/>you can look at life from whatever angle you want.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life in Technicolor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iceberry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceberry/gifts).



> Although it doesn't hold much significance from the story's point of view, I'd like to add that this is somewhere in between the original series, and GO, so the characters are 16-17-year-old highschoolers.

"I still don't understand why Rairaiken wasn't good enough," Aphrodi mutters, although mostly just to himself - he knows neither of his companions would really listen to him anyways. He has already given in to them about this trip, albeit he didn't have much choice to begin with. After all, how can someone disagree with a completely and genuinely shocked Gouenji Shuuya, and an Endou Mamoru who's almost literally laughing his ass off? The blond is still quite morose about the entire incident, and so he actually doesn't walk side by side with his two companions, but half a step behind, arms folded across his chest, not even really paying attention to where they are going; as long as he sees their heels, he at least won't go headfirst into a lamppost. If only it wasn't so unbearably hot today; all three of them are wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts, and yet Aphrodi feels like the back of his neck is burning with the heat that's gathered underneath his hair. He's never been much of a fan of extreme weather conditions. Practices were shorter as well, as everyone was out of breath much faster, and there didn't seem to be enough water bottles in the entire school to satiate them in breaks, despite the girls' continuous efforts.

In spite of the muffled muttering, though, it seems he's been heard, because the two others turn in unison - one of them smiling slightly, and the other a little surprised. "Well, you're going back home tomorrow," Endou exclaims, a slight pout on his face, "so why can't we just have a bit of fun before you have to leave _again_?"

The last word kind of takes the wind out of Aphrodi's sails. Frustrated, he swipes slightly damp locks out of his face, but he doesn't say a word. The truth is unchallengeable, after all; he is indeed leaving next morning, and, in the end, all three of them want the same thing: to have fun on their last day together, before they have to part.

It's not as if he hates the idea of what they're about to do - it's just _lunch_ , anyways, why should it matter at all -, but, well, let's just admit, Afuro Terumi doesn't do well with being laughed at in the face, not even if it's by the two boys he loves the most in the entire world.

Gouenji's reaction to his mood is entire different; the smile still on his face, he reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a fabric-covered rubber band. "Come here, Aphrodi." The blond obeys, albeit a little uncomprehending. He gives a sidelong glance at Endou, but the brunette seems just as clueless.

Gouenji's kisses have these strange quality to it that Aphrodi cannot quite explain to himself. Endou can usually guess when the right time is for displaying his affection, and _then_ it only takes him a couple of seconds to make Aphrodi melt, and forget about the entire world around them. With Gouenji, it's different - for once, the striker usually just doesn't seem to _care_ ; and so what if they're standing in a crowded line, or if Aphrodi is in the middle of searching for a piece of cheese he dropped under the table, and he hits his head out of surprise the moment their lips lock? And yet, as weird as it is, even though Aphrodi always stays aware of their surroundings (sometimes painfully so, with people staring, and things like that), he never quite finds it in himself to say no to the striker, or even so much as push him away. Push him away? Screw that. The moment Gouenji's mouth grazes his, the blond's arms raise almost automatically to latch around the other's neck, simply deciding to ignore everything else, even Endou's amused snickering in the background. In a way, they both get what they want, in the end - but while Endou's method is _asking_ in such a manner that makes it impossible to refuse, Gouenji simply _doesn't take_ a no as an answer, easy as that.

... Although, the laughter could have been a clue, Aphrodi decides in hindsight. Endou probably saw what Gouenji was up to, before Aphrodi could have realized. Still not being released from their kiss, his eyes widen slightly as he can feel Gouenji dig his fingers into his hair - that's not something he often does, not even in private. (If either of them, Endou is the dork that can't seem to stop fooling around with the mass of Aphrodi's hair whenever he gets a chance; in bed, while making out, while having sex, or just before falling asleep, or while they're watching something together in TV, even going as far as sneaking up behind him while Aphrodi is cooking.) The next moment, all of his hair is being raised - it's an odd enough feeling to raise goosebumps on his arms and the back of his neck; usually he doesn't even let anyone brush it, and if he didn't love them so much, he wouldn't ever let them come even remotely close to what Gouenji is doing now. _And with good reason_ , Aphrodi thinks, gasping into the kiss as the next thing he feels is a twist that's almost bordering on painful, and something inexplicably strange happening at the back of his head. "G-Gouenji?" he tries, breaking away a little, but the striker's arms are still around him, his fingers fiddling around in between blond locks of hair. "What exactly-..."

"Just a moment longer," Gouenji replies coolly, and, sure enough, no more than two seconds later Aphrodi is finally free, although he still feels strange, and the obnoxiously wide grin on Endou's face doesn't quite help it. "It suits you!" the brunette exclaims, and _that's_ when realization finally hits Aphrodi. He reaches up, only to realize the strange feeling was a _lack_ of the mass of his hair on his shoulders and back, and that Gouenji had twisted it up onto the back of his head into a roll bun. There's a light breeze he's been unable to notice up till now, but it's licking the back of his neck pleasantly now, and even though the bun is pulling at the skin of his head a little bit, he still finds himself smiling at Gouenji appreciatively. Gouenji merely shrugs, his smile widening a little. "I borrowed the band from Kazemaru," is all he comments, and Aphrodi makes a mental note to thank their friend as well later on.

"No wonder he keeps his hair tied up all the time," he says, and finally, he catches up with his two lovers, one of his hands quickly lacing fingers into Gouenji's. "In this insane weather..." His other hand only grasps at thin air where Endou's fingers should be, and the blond's eyes widen, goosebumps once again rippling up his arms and back, as he can feel one of those fingers poking into the middle of his bun, right at the center, where there's a little hole. "Endou, stop that-!" It's one of the oddest feelings he's ever experienced, and were it not for the fact that he's already spent so much time around (and together with) these two, he would still question why it is that the weirdest things always happen to him while being in **their** company.

That doesn't mean he's become more talkative, though. Despite their little intermezzo in the middle of the street, and now both his hands occupied with holding one of theirs, Aphrodi doesn't seem to be in a much better mood, although at least it doesn't feel like he's melting anymore. He still doesn't really understand, though, why they even had to go out here in the first place, _by foot_ of all things, when they could have just taken a train into the city. It was enough humiliation when both Gouenji and Endou refused to believe he'd never tasted Greek food before, then jointly decided (without asking him) that they had to take him out for some gyros today _("I can try it anytime if I want!" "But we want to try it, too, so why not?"_ ), but then Endou also went ahead and said they should walk, to make up for the afternoon practice they're missing - _not that it matters much, since I leave tomorrow anyways_ , Aphrodi thinks...

... and after a moment, catching himself, that thought alone is enough to sober him up.

Neither Gouenji, nor Endou misses how the blond's fingers tighten around theirs all of a sudden, nor the way Aphrodi's head is held a little bit higher. They both reciprocate the squeeze at the same time, perfectly in sync, and that, if nothing else, finally makes the one walking in the middle smile a bit. "So," he says, his voice lighter than his heart, "why exactly are you two so sure that Greek food must be so good, if neither of _you_ have ever tasted it?"

"Well, it must be!" Endou, of course, doesn't miss a single beat. "Isn't it what the guys y'all were named after ate?" The goalkeeper is met with the simultaneous sounds of Aphrodi choking and Gouenji bursting out laughing. "What?" he asks, his voice completely innocent. Gouenji only laughs even harder, and Aphrodi would _almost_ believe Endou, were it not for the slight trembling of the corner of his lips.

"Greek gods didn't eat _gyros_!" he all but hisses at the brunette. There, he's done it - now both of them are laughing at him, Endou keeling over and holding his stomach in tears, and Aphrodi has half a heart to pull his hand free of the brunette's grasp; but, of course, in the end, he doesn't. How could he, when every single moment spent with them is so infinitely precious? (Even the moments in which he is made fun of mercilessly, yes.) "They ate _manna_ and drank _nectar_..." Eh, no point in trying to educate them, he thinks, half-amused, half-irritated, but the next moment, Endou raises, and asks, completely straight-faced,

"Isn't nectarine a fruit? You know, that bald peach thing?"

"Bald?" Gouenji repeats, his lips still quivering with suppressed laughter. Endou instantly goes on the _defensive_ (unsurprising). "Well, that's what they're called, aren't they? Peaches without... peach hair!" Pause; Endou seems genuinely contemplating. "Or were they called shaved peaches?"

At this point, even Aphrodi loses it.

* * *

The place is nothing like they imagined, actually. If anything, it's the closest to a food stand at a summer festival - except it's right in the middle of the city, on a street wider than any that can be found in Inazuma Town, and yet people have no trouble just stopping on their way to get a bite. Moreover, there aren't even any stools to sit on; as if you're supposed to just get your food and be on your way. "Don't they mind if people take their bowls?" Aphrodi wonders, who actually hasn't the slightest idea what gyros even looks like.

"It's like takeout food, I guess," Gouenji replies with a shrug, tugging them into line (there's only a young boy with his mother in front of them - thankfully, because all three of them are pretty hungry by this point).

"Is that even authentic?" is the blond's next question, though honestly, he's more just keeping up the conversation than actually being interested.

"We could ask Ichinose-..."

"He was in _Italy_ , not in Greece, Endou!" Gouenji rolls his eyes, to which he only receives a sheepish grin from the brunette - and then they are suddenly next in line.

The food itself is **also** nothing like Aphrodi imagined. It's a surprise in every turn; gyros looks like plain bread at first, only for it to be revealed that there's plenty of meat and other assorted things inside what the shopkeeper calls a _pita_ , some of it the blond can't even guess the identity of. The next surprise is the first bite; he's careful enough to wait until both Endou and Gouenji have taken a bite of their own (much to their amusement; Endou actually grins at him with his mouth full, which only makes Aphrodi roll his eyes). He isn't expecting the explosion of taste in his mouth, along with the fact of just how _saucy_ it is - he wouldn't have guessed only from its look (after all the pita bread thing is completely dry from the outside), but as soon as he tears off a chunk, the reddish liquid just drips down on the corner of his mouth, right onto his shirt, before he could do anything about it. (Good thing at least his _hair_ isn't in the way - the thought alone makes him shudder.) Endou is laughing at him again - it seems like this is what today will mostly consist of, and Aphrodi is beginning to resign himself to it finally -, almost choking on his food in the process. And the last surprise is yet to come - only when swallowing does Aphrodi realize that the sauce is actually so **hot** he can't breathe afterwards. Good thing Endou has a bottle of water with him; the blond almost drops his entire pack of food in his haste to relieve his throat.

The rest of the meal goes relatively peacefully. The little group begins on their way back, from where they've come from, and Aphrodi decides to eat the remaining of his gyros anyways, albeit much more carefully (which results in him still having a bit less than half of his portion when both Endou and Gouenji have long since finished their own). The sun is slowly descending on the horizon now; it's still burning the back of Aphrodi's neck a little, but afternoon practice is probably close to being over, now. Aphrodi's chest throbs unusually painfully at the thought; he's missed the last opportunity to play soccer with Raimon for a good long while again - although, he's not sure if what he feels isn't just the remnants of his late lunch's spiciness still burning his lungs, _but, then again, didn't you stop lying to yourself a long time ago, Afuro Terumi?_ he asks himself as he stuffs the last tiny piece of pita into his mouth, wipes his palms on his shirt (it's already spoiled, so who cares), and reaches out to take the other two's hands again.

Surprisingly, though, he finds neither of them by his side at this point. It takes a moment for Aphrodi to realize he's spaced out enough for the other two to leave him behind a little; Endou is standing in front of a fruit stand, Gouenji right behind his back, and when the blonde finally reaches them, the only part of the conversation he catches is, "Nectarines, sir. He meant nectarines." The ace striker is grabbing into a fistful of his captain's brown hair, and Endou is trying to wriggle his way out unsuccessfully. "Well, I forgot what they're called! Why aren't they called shaved peaches anyways?! That would make _so much_ more sense!" Aphrodi only regrets the snort he lets out when Gouenji lets go of Endou, and the goalkeeper turns to him with a huff. "This is _totally_ your fault, Aphrodi!"

"What, you not being able to remember a word?" Aphrodi inquires, but by that time, the owner of the stand has packed together a bunch of fruits for them, and Gouenji pays, then drags them both away, before they would get a chance at starting an actual argument.

Three minutes later, when they are walking on top of the bank, each of them silently chewing on a nectarine (Aphrodi has, much to Endou's amusement, given up on trying not to get food on his clothes - what does it matter anymore, after the gyros sauce? and it's so hard to eat such a juicy fruit without dripping on yourself...), Aphrodi decides this might not have been a bad idea after all, even if he feels a little bit like the back of his neck might have gotten a little sunburnt. After all, for a last day, it has been pretty peaceful so far, and that's how he likes it. With Endou around, usually there's always _something_ happening, whatever it might be, and the way the goalkeeper just follows his own head, it's unsurprising that not even the combined efforts of Gouenji and Aphrodi can slow him down. Today is a nice contrast to it, although it also makes Aphrodi wonder a little. Endou walks in quiet, leaning forward a little bit as he walks, so the juice of his fruit dribbles onto the ground when he takes a bite, his expression thoughtful, if not downright solemn. What could possibly be on his mind?

"Let's just sit down over there," the brunette finally says, pointing to a flight of stone steps that lead down to the very surface of the water. It's barely a few minutes away from sunset, and albeit Aphrodi secretly wanted to take one last look at the Raimon field (and originally thought that's where they were headed), neither him, nor Gouenji object to the idea.

By the time they settle down side by side, a little lower than the middle, about five or six steps above the river - Aphrodi in the middle -, Gouenji is the only one who still has half his nectarine left. Endou raises an arm, and throws the core as far away as he can muster. Aphrodi follows the movement instinctively, squinting a little as the setting sun shines right into his eyes; but still, he expects to see the water ripple where the seed submerges, and ends up confused when it doesn't happen at all. "I think I'm growing a peach tree on the other side," Endou grins, and as a suddenly understanding "Oh!" leaves Aphrodi's lips, Gouenji laughs into his food.

Next moment, just as much in sync as they always are, and literally making the blond freeze up, two pairs of arms are encircling him. Endou captures his right hand with his left, and lays his chin on Aphrodi's shoulder, and Gouenji's left arm is sneaking around his waist, closing the circle. The last rays of the sun are bathing the three of them in golden light, and as it's still shining straight into the midfielder's eyes, it's easy to say that's most likely why he can feel his eyes begin to fill with moisture - albeit it doesn't provide quite as good as an excuse for the lump that's forming in his throat at the same time. He has promised to be honest with himself - he promised himself at the moment of his very first loss, the one that Endou Mamoru gave him a chance at redemption with. And, if he is entirely honest with himself, he doesn't want this moment to end, at all, _ever_.

Then, as if a spell is broken, Endou turns his head, and, as if it's the most natural thing to do in the world, he wipes his lips on the shoulder of Aphrodi's shirt, making the blond give a huge start, pushing him away instinctively. "Endou, that's disgusting!"

"What, it was dirty alrea-..." is all the brunette is able to get out before losing his balance from the push. _Action, reaction_ \- the basics of physics. The goalkeeper falls into the grass, rolls downwards, and barely manages to stop himself before he'd end up in the river; at the same time, Aphrodi falls against Gouenji, and the striker lets go of his food in surprise. The remainders of the nectarine roll in the grass much like Endou has just done, and then finally ends up in the water with a _**plop**_. Aphrodi would apologize - but his first concern is Endou; for the brunette is still laying on his back in the grass, panting slightly, and Aphrodi himself nearly stumbles down the steps in his haste to get to him. "Endou! Endou, are you all right?" What a farce.

Endou is at the very edge of the river, inches away from the water. One of his arms is thrown into the grass above his head, the other grazes the liquid surface with his fingertips, and there is a strange, faraway look in his eyes that Afuro Terumi isn't sure he's ever seen before. The tightening of his throat that seemed to have disappeared for a few moments, back when Endou decided to be ridiculous, now returns with full force, interlaced with a heavy worry that weighs on the blond's heart so heavily he isn't sure he'll be able to get any words out at all. "Endou, are you okay?" he asks again, voice hoarse, and barely above a whisper. Of course, it's not as if the goalkeeper has never once fallen in his life, or sustained an injury. Yet, especially with the past they share - something Aphrodi _still_ hasn't completely let go -, the possibility of him being injured **by him** is something he can hardly take. "Endou..."

"No, not really," comes the answer, and shockingly, the brunette's voice is nonchalant, almost cheerful. But before Aphrodi could ask if he's hurt, Endou looks at him, and the blond almost recoils from the sight - a sight so rarely seen that most wouldn't even believe it to be an actual possibility: tears are trembling in Endou Mamoru's eyes. "You're going away. You're always going away, and that's really... not okay at all."

The very last blink of light reflects on Aphrodi's petrified expression, and makes the tears glimmer in Endou's eyes as they refuse to roll down. And then, as grey twilight encompasses them, and Endou blinks, to the blonde, it somehow feels as if life itself has disappeared from those always happily sparkling hazel eyes.

* * *

It takes no more than twenty minutes for full darkness to descend on the trio. Neither of them has spoken for a while; they returned to their earlier position on the steps, and even though the concrete is beginning to get cold underneath their bottoms, nobody seems all that eager to move. Street lamps begin to flicker to life one by one above their heads, and crickets begin to chirp. Night has fallen all around like a blanket, covering them in soft, benevolent blackness that gently hides everything they want to hide (the sadness in Endou's eyes, the trembling of Aphrodi's lower lip that doesn't seem to want to stop, the way Gouenji's free hand keeps twirling a few grass strands around his fingers absently, as if wanting to do something, but not being sure _what_ it should be), yet still allowing them to show what they want to show (Endou's lips pressed gently against Aphrodi's shoulder, his hair lightly tickling the blond's ear shell, the way Gouenji leans in to reach around both of their backs as they sit in half-content silence).

"You know what we should do?" Endou asks all of a sudden. Aphrodi turns his head slightly; goosebumps ripple up his arms as he gets the brown locks of the goalkeeper's hair straight into his face now, almost rendering him unable to reply, "What?" - and this time, it would be impossible to hide the fact that there are _too many_ unsaid things in his voice, because the last thing Endou said was 'not okay', and deep down, Aphrodi is terrified that it might signify the end of happiness.

"Go swim in the river!"

_... Then again_ , Aphrodi reflects a moment later, while his jaw drops, as he can't even decide whether to be relieved, incredulous, or both, _it wouldn't be Endou if he didn't come up with some surprising stupidity every other second._

"Isn't that a little overboard?" It's Gouenji that speaks now, his voice calm, albeit laced with a thin layer of carefully hidden amusement. Aphrodi, who expected the striker to straight out reject the idea, now leans back a little to let the two of them look at each other, his eyes going between them with mild confusion, not knowing what to think. "It's getting pretty late, and neither of us brought appropriate clothes..."

"We can just go skinny dipping!" Endou cannot be persuaded by such measly things as _common sense_. "Come on, Gouenji, don't ruin it!"

Aphrodi stares down at the river, and still doesn't understand. "Endou, I don't think it's safe to swim in the river..." he tries somewhat weakly (the thought of getting into the water that's most likely ice cold to begin with is already making him shiver, but at the same time, oddly enough, it's very hard not to get swept up in Endou's enthusiasm).

"Oh, I didn't mean here!" comes the matter-of-fact reply, and the next moment, Aphrodi finds himself being tugged up from the sitting position by not only Endou but Gouenji as well ( _when did he agree?_ ), and then the two of them are practically dragging him with themselves as they jog up to the top of the bank, and begin down the road towards someplace the blond cannot even imagine - and yet, he finds a sudden, genuine sense of excitement swell up in him as he follows without further complaining.

They follow the river on top of the bank for more than half an hour. They're plainly out of Inazuma Town now, on the outskirts of the entire city, and their surroundings slowly begin to become forest-like. As their way continues in between trees, enveloping them in almost complete darkness, Aphrodi begins to get goosefleshed; he is, after all, still only wearing a sleeveless shirt (and doesn't understand how the other two don't seem to be feeling cold too). Neither of them let go of him, though, and Endou's palm is so reassuringly warm, and Gouenji's fingers between his own feel so secure, that after a while, not only does Aphrodi stop feeling the chill of the night, but he's somehow able to let go of his earlier reservations and insecurities as well. (What could possibly go wrong, after all, when he's with the two of them? Looking back to everything in his life so far, Aphrodi can claim without a second thought that the times he's been the most happy were all he spent in the same company he's in now.)

Finally, the mass of branches begin to grow thinner. Aphrodi has completely lost his sense of place (something that could never happen to him on the soccer field, and is therefore an odd feeling). An owl hoots somewhere nearby, and the blond gives a start; it's met with snickering from Endou, and a reassuring squeeze from Gouenji (somehow, both make him feel better). And then, there's suddenly water in front of them; it looks like the same river, but the water is still and calm, projecting a feel of serenity Aphrodi wasn't expecting. He opens his mouth to ask, but Gouenji replies before a sound could leave his throat. "We've been here on training camp before. Endou took a liking to the place."

" _Here_?" Aphrodi repeats, slightly dumbfounded, because honestly, where does an entire team practice soccer in a thick forest with a backwater river? - but before Gouenji could respond, Endou slips his hand out of Aphrodi's, and begins towards the water without a second thought.

"Sure as hell I took a liking!" he calls out, and even though it's so dark that all Aphrodi can see of the goalkeeper is his silhouette, he can still hear from his voice that he's grinning widely. "Isn't it awesome?"

Aphrodi glances at Gouenji, still at a bit of a loss of what to do, but the striker is looking at Endou's back with a fond smile on his face, and the blond is once more stricken with an inexplicably complex feeling of sorrow and anxiety - something that could be phrased most easily as _'is it still a full circle (as Gouenji said once), or am I the third wheel?'_. It is something Afuro Terumi would never speak aloud; both for fear of actually getting an answer for it, and also because of the possibility of the question itself being hurtful to the other two (and even when he feels insecure and a bit lonely, he still wouldn't want to hurt them, no matter, what).

Then Gouenji begins walking as well, but unlike Endou, he doesn't let go of Aphrodi's hand, and the blonde is once more tugged forward (he still can't decide if he likes it or not). By the time they catch up to Endou, the brunette is standing on the edge of the water, wearing nothing but his headband. Aphrodi cannot help but get lost in the sight for a couple of moments; the brunette's muscles are worked out perfectly, and as the moonlight falls on him, their flexing and unflexing can be seen perfectly - the only thing disrupting the perfection is an old bruise that he got from being thrown against the goalpost too hard; he got a hairline in one of his scapula, and it never faded properly.

"Are you going in with your clothes on?" Gouenji's voice forces Aphrodi back into the present; he turns to look at the striker, only to discover he is, indeed, the only one now with clothes on. He would very much like to take a few seconds to look at the other as well, and he can't resist the small smirk that begins to form on his lips, but at the same time, he does bend down to get out of his shirt, and kicks off his shoes at the same time. "Get that thing off, Endou," he hears Gouenji meanwhile, immediately getting a defensive retort of "What, why?" Aphrodi slides his shorts off, and then finally, the underwear goes on top of the pile that now contains all the clothes of all three of them - sans the headband. "Because you don't want to get it wet," Gouenji says patiently, and Aphrodi still can't resist another tiny smirk, because he could swear he can hear an underlying _'you moron'_ hidden in there. "But if I get my head underwater, then it'll get wet from my hair anyways, won't it?" Endou complains, but, in the end, there really isn't such a thing as saying no to Gouenji.

Finally, the headband gets separated from its owner and lands on top of the pile as well (albeit a bit reluctantly), and the three of them advance towards the water side by side. There is a strange thrill to the entire thing Aphrodi cannot quite explain - it sort of feels as if they're doing something forbidden, while really, they aren't. It makes him think of the times he used to play soccer with the help of the _aqua of the gods_ ; it's similar, and yet altogether different. After all, back then, he didn't quite care about doing anything forbidden as long as it got him where he wanted to get (it's almost scary to think of how much he has changed since then, even if most of that change was in the right direction).

The thrill quickly changes into shock the moment his foot touches the water. As it's already well into the summer, together with the fact that this is a backwater branch of the river, it's not as icy as he would have thought, but it's still much colder than what he was actually anticipating. He would stop then and there, out of sheer instinct, but his hands are grabbed from the sides simultaneously (he's long since lost count of how many times this has already happened throughout the day), and then he has no choice but to follow. The water is rather shallow; they have to walk in quite a while till it reaches up to their waist. There, the blond is finally let go; Endou doesn't hesitate to throw himself straight into the water fully, submerging and only ascending a good fifteen seconds and thirty feet later, and even Gouenji sinks neck-deep into it, beginning to swim leisurely, his head held above the surface.

A good four or five minutes pass before they stop and remember to look back at Aphrodi. The blond hasn't moved from where they left him; arms wrapped around his torso, he's shaking like a leaf, his lips slowly turning blue from the cold. "Are you crazy?" Endou yells from some fifty feet afar, beginning to tempo back to where he started from. "You won't warm up if you won't move around!"

Gouenji realizes what Endou is about to do only a split second before it's actually happening - and that's too late for him to do anything anymore besides standing up where he is (the water reaches up to his chest), and hollering "Endou, don't-!"

Too late. Aphrodi only comes to his senses when Endou is standing right next to him, water flowing down his body in rivulets, his hair sticking to his face, and a cheeky grin on his face that could be completely benevolent, too, were it not for Gouenji's earlier words to prove that something bad is about to happen. And sure enough, without further ado, Endou simply grabs Aphrodi by the shoulder, and _pushes him into the water_. Thankfully, Aphrodi has enough time to draw a deep breath, but that's about it. Getting into it all of a sudden like that, the water seems even colder than before. He reemerges a couple of feet away, gasping for air, and feeling a little as if he's about to cry, just from the sheer shock the cold caused. His long hair is covering his face completely, and he tries to get it out with his palms while he scrambles onto his knees, listening to Gouenji yelling. "And you're asking _him_ if he's crazy?!" Surprisingly, Endou doesn't have a defensive reply this time, and Aphrodi feels like both laughing and crying. "People can get heart attacks from that!"

Aphrodi is pretty sure he didn't, in fact, get a heart attack from being thrown into water, even if he feels like he's slowly turning into a solid block of ice. What **does** feel similar to a heart attack, though, is when he's suddenly pulled upwards onto his feet (he's still not completely finished with trying to get hair out of his face, so he can't really see who it is and what's going on), and then a pair of strong, warm arms wrap around his waist, pulling him close. "I'm sorry," Endou mumbles, and his breath feels so wonderfully hot on Aphrodi's shoulder, not to mention their stomachs touching together ( _how_ can he still be so incredibly warm in this temperature is completely beyond the blond's understanding), that he doesn't even register anything else anymore; not the wind that's still blowing at them, now making him feel even more cold at the places Endou isn't touching, because his skin is _wet_ , nor the fact that he seems to have lost the borrowed hair band in his struggle to get back out of the water...

Nor the fact that the owner of said hair band, along with two other teammates, is standing on the shore where they've left their clothes, staring at them with a shocked expression on his face.

... Well, not until he can hear Gouenji call out. "Kazemaru! Kidou! Kabeyama! What are you guys doing here?" Aphrodi lets go of Endou with incredible speed, and - who would have thought - submerges himself neck-deep into the water once more, not even giving a damn about heat anymore, just the fact that his face is red as a tomato, because he certainly hasn't been expecting **this**. Endou, on the other hand, turns towards the other group - and not only that, but, to Aphrodi's horror, he begins walking towards them, waving cheerfully. It is only when the water reaches no higher than his knees, that he finally notices the utterly bewildered expression on his teammates' faces, and realizes that he is, in fact, standing in front of them stark naked.

"Oh! Uhm, hey!" he tries, the grin on his face now nothing short of obnoxious. Kabeyama is literally trying to duck and hide behind Kidou, covering his face so he doesn't have to look, while the latter just rolls his eyes. At this point, Gouenji is holding his head in a hand, and Aphrodi is literally shaking with half-concealed laughter that comes out as a handful of bubbles, as his mouth is below the water's surface. On the other hand, Kazemaru somehow doesn't seem to be bothered at all. "We've been looking for you guys everywhere!" he exclaims, folding his arms. From this angle, Aphrodi can't be completely sure that he's looking into his captain's face instead of other places, and he finds himself a bit bothered by that, so he raises his chin a little, and calls out.

"Endou, for Heaven's Ti-... I mean, _sake_ , sit down already, or something!" ... Some phrases just stick to one's tongue, after all, but even though all five of them start laughing at him at the same time, Aphrodi still doesn't mind, because at least, Endou gets the hint, and submerges himself into the water from the hips down as he sits on his heels, looking up at Kazemaru a moment later expectantly.

"So, why were you looking for us?"

"And how did you find us here anyways?" Gouenji adds, swimming a bit closer to Endou.

"This was the only place we haven't looked at," Kabeyama replies sheepishly, still refusing to lower his hands even though there is nothing potentially embarrassing now to see.

"You didn't come to practice today," Kidou states,

"... nor to the meetup we agreed about," Kazemaru finishes, and even among the sudden confusion, Aphrodi can feel a line of hurt in his voice, especially as the other long-haired boy meets his gaze.

"Meetup, what meetup?" Gouenji inquires, but by that time, Endou has let out a yelp, and threw himself back, splashing water everywhere (and making Kazemaru jump back) as he sinks in shame for a moment. "I forgot about it!" he moans once his head is once again up. "Crap, I'm so sorry, Kazemaru..."

"What meetup?" Aphrodi repeats, arriving to sit on Endou's other side. Truth to be told, he really wouldn't mind getting out of the water now; his voice is trembling slightly, but he hopes it can't be heard - it's one thing with Endou and Gouenji, but he'd like to retain at least a bit of his dignity in the company of other teammates.

"There was a..." Kazemaru's voice trails away as he takes a closer look at the blond. Aphrodi looks up at him expectantly, but it takes another moment for the other to be able to gather his thoughts. He seems to look slightly concerned now, and his voice is a bit absent as he finishes, "a bit of a party planned, after practice... since you're leaving tomorrow, and everything..." Aphrodi can feel his face heat up, and at the same time, he still can't tell why Kazemaru is giving him such a scrutinizing look. Is there some mud in his hair? While Endou blabbers out another string of apologies, Aphrodi raises his hand to run his fingers through his drenched locks - and that's when he finally seems to come to a realization.

"Ah, Kazemaru-kun... I seem to have lost your hair band... I'm sorry. I'll get you a new one s-s-sometime." His face is heating up again as everyone else stares at him, but even he doesn't really understand why he couldn't stop himself from stammering like that, and somehow, he gets the feeling that they have something else on their minds - something that's _just_ beyond his grasp.

"Was this _your_ idea, Endou?" Kazemaru asks instead of replying, but he also doesn't seem to want an actual answer. "Gouenji, why didn't you stop him? Now look at him!"

Aphrodi doesn't understand what's going on anymore, and from this point onwards, things blur together a little, because all he can really focus on is how cold, _cold_ , **cold** he feels.

* * *

The thing about camaraderie in Raimon - or rather, with everyone who spent some time around Endou Mamoru - is that when it's really important to rely on each other, they can do it without question, sweeping less important things temporarily out of the way, as if they don't even exist, until the crisis is solved. When Endou and Gouenji stand up to lift Aphrodi out of the water, who by this point is almost unconscious, his full body shaking, and his lips a colourless, icy purple, nobody seems to care anymore that the three of them are naked. Even Kabeyama stands up properly, and not only that, but he's the first one offering his jacket up when the three newcomers realize that their friends have so few to wear. Endou and Gouenji are fine, after all, but Aphrodi is most certainly not, and the offer is accepted with gratitude and without further ado. The blond attempts to mutter something incoherently that they guess is a protest about being able to dress on his own, but by the time he'd even finish a sentence, Endou has already pulled his pants and shirt back on; then comes Kazemaru's jacket, and finally Kabeyama's giant one, and Aphrodi is _still_ shivering.

"Goddammit, Endou," Kazemaru mutters frustratedly as Gouenji shakes water out of his hair, and then takes Aphrodi onto his back to carry him home. Endou hangs his head in shame - his oldest friend doesn't need to say anything more to make him know what exactly he meant; _and_ to agree with it. He was an idiot. Then again, they swam a lot in this deadwater when they were in the training camp - but it was by daylight, when the water was warmed up by the sun, and Aphrodi wasn't there, so who would have guessed that he catches a cold so easily? Endou also knows the other's concern to be wholeheartedly genuine; after himself and Gouenji, Kazemaru is probably the closest friend to Aphrodi on the Raimon team. Half of Endou wants to sink underground and disappear in shame, but the other half of him knows very well that he has other priorities right now. The determination probably shows on his face, too, because the next moment, he can feel Kazemaru's palm on his shoulder - the weight of it is both reassuring and making him feel even more ashamed of himself, especially since his friend's voice is a lot softer now. "Just get him home quickly, don't worry about the meetup thing. We'll come see him off at the station tomorrow."

"If he'll feel good enough to travel," Kidou adds quietly, but before Endou could freeze up again, both him and Kazemaru are pushing him forward, and he stumbles after Gouenji and Kabeyama (and almost falls across a tree root in his haste), who have already started on their way back towards the city.

* * *

Aphrodi is wet, and cold, and _heavy_. Every single part of him is heavy. His arms are laced around Gouenji's neck, but he doesn't think he could raise them if he wanted, even though there is a tiny part of him that is strangely tempted to run his fingers through the striker's damp locks of hair, parts of which are sticking to the blond's own face. He can't, though - so instead, he presses his face against the back of Gouenji's neck even more (or at least, he thinks he does, although in reality, he doesn't quite have the strength to do anything other than hang limply in the other's grasp). He doesn't see much of the road they are walking on; Kabeyama's jacket covers him fully, enough to envelope him in darkness (not that it makes much of a difference, since it's dark outside as well, but Aphrodi doesn't see the street lamps' lights when they finally reach back to Inazuma Town).

At the corner where their three friends have to change direction to reach their own homes, they say goodbye, and Endou promises to get the jackets back to their respective owners, but Aphrodi isn't quite aware of that either. All he is currently concerned with is how heavy and **painful** his head feels, as if his brain was taken out and replaced by tiny, but heavy and sharp rocks that keep hitting the inside of his skull with each step Gouenji takes. And yet, he feels an odd sense of contentment. It's not as if he's never fallen ill before; there's nothing to worry about, even if the other two haven't seen him like this until now (and are therefore most likely worrying about him). That much thinking is already enough to make his head hurt even more, though, so he decides to just stop. Still, he can't let go of how strange it is, that even while he feels awful, at the same time, he feels _good_ too, pressed against Gouenji's back, hearing Endou's voice as he keeps talking in a low tone right next to him, even if he can't really make out the words - their mere presence is what causes this odd sensation that he could probably name, too, _if only_ he weren't so cold and tired...

The word pops into his mind the moment he hears Endou push the key into its hole, and the door creaks open.

**Safety.**

The next half an hour is a little clearer. Entering the warmth of the apartment is already enough to rouse Aphrodi a little, and as Gouenji gently slides him off of his back, he finds he can stand on his own two feet all alone. That prompts him to decide to get into dry clothes all by himself as well (because, helpfulness or not, their earlier intermezzo was enough humiliation for a day), and so he does, even while constantly shivering in the meantime, and ending up pulling one of Gouenji's thick turtlenecks on as well under his own zippered sweater. Gouenji smiles when he sees him in it, but all the same, his eyes are full of worry, and the blond is quickly ushered onto the couch in between a heap of blankets, and it must be the strangest thing in the world, but now that he finally feels almost warm enough to be more or less comfortable, even Endou's palm feels cool on his forehead, and from then on, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on, even before the brunette yelps, shell-shocked, "Jeez, you're burning up!" Aphrodi doesn't deem it necessary to grace him with any reply.

Things begin to blur a little again, and Aphrodi doesn't like it at all, although he can't quite explain why. There's Gouenji with the thermometer, and yes, he has a fever, and honestly, all he wants to do is sleep, and it takes him a good three minutes of staring into his lap and leaving any and all questions without a reaction to finally figure out _why_ he feels so awful.

After all, this is his last night here. And even though he doesn't blame Endou in the slightest, he really would have preferred to spend it some other way, not being ill. Who knows when he'll get a chance again? Life sometimes plays weird tricks on people, and Aphrodi has fallen enough times - even if some of it has been his own fault - to have little faith in good fortune alone. The thought fills him with bitterness, and a sort of empty longing, a space he cannot fill in his chest, but makes him feel like there are rocks in his throat as well, because he can hardly swallow, let alone speak. He's leaving tomorrow. It's a thought he has been putting off all day, but cannot anymore in his weakened state, and it falls on him like a ton of bricks.

_He's leaving tomorrow._

He's leaving, and who knows when he'll be able to come back, and-...

No, that part is too terrifying to even _think about_.

"Here."

Before the blond can look up, a mug is pushed between his hands. It's hot, but not too hot to hold, and it's filled to the brim with warm and delicious-looking tea. For a moment, he just stares at the surface of it, trying to shake off any and all unwanted thoughts, and by the time he takes a sip, both of the other two has taken a seat on his two sides.

Apparently, the tea only _looked_ delicious. It is only thanks to Aphrodi's perfect self-control that he doesn't just spit it out; he thinks he never tasted anything so bitter. "What..."

Endou lets out a slightly nervous laugh. Aphrodi knows the brunette is still blaming himself, and he wants to tell him not to, but he's unable to find the right words, and before he could even try, the other is already speaking. "Well, I dropped the antipyretic pill into it... Gouenji said it's gotta be swallowed, but I saw earlier that you have trouble with that, so I thought..." His voice trails away uncertainly, and that alone is enough to make Aphrodi's throat feel uncomfortably tight once again. _You fool_ , he thinks, and he's a little angry at Endou, too, but only because it's been a long time since he ever wanted to cry this badly. _You sweet fool._ He drinks the tea all at once, without even taking a breath. Next time he looks up, Endou looks a little less guilty, and a little more amazed, and somehow that's perfectly enough for a smile.

When he leans back after setting the mug down, Gouenji's arms envelop him from the back instantly, and Aphrodi finds himself back in the middle of that solid feeling of inexplicable security. As he looks up, Endou is sitting on his heels in front of him at the other corner of the couch, a sheepish, but endlessly soft smile on his lips, and the sight of it, along with the strength with which Gouenji is holding him to his chest, makes the blond wonder _how_ he could ever possibly think he was stronger than them. There is nothing in the entire world these two can't conquer. To Aphrodi, they are strength itself. But, at the same time, they are also a lot of other things, so much more, some of it explicable, some of them not, and perhaps it's the latter part that finally makes the words slip off of the blond's tongue, muttered into the blankets almost inaudibly.

"... I don't want to leave."

He doesn't look up when the springs of the couch give a bit of a squeak, though he does wonder a bit at the back of his mind about where Endou is going, because, of course, he can feel Gouenji hasn't moved. The surprise comes a second later, when his chin is gently tipped upwards, and he barely has time to register the fact that all that happened is that Endou has got onto his knees and crawled closer to them - then he is being kissed by the brunette, and even if nothing in their relationship so far has been unsatisfactory, Aphrodi has no choice but to admit this might be the best kiss he has ever received from him. At first, it's just small pecks and licks along his bottom lip, prompting him to part it from the top, and so he does, even though he feels like he can hardly breathe as is, with both of them being so close, not to mention how dizzy the antipyretic makes him feel as it kicks in. And yet, even with all that, the last thing on his mind would be to refuse Endou, not when he just admitted to the opposite. Endou is giving him the sweetest kiss he can imagine; he can also feel Gouenji burying his face in his still slightly damp hair, wriggling his way in between the locks till he can kiss into his neck, his embrace tightening, and altogether, no words could properly replace the message they both mean to convey in their own way: _we know_.

There is no dam that could possibly hold in such a waterfall of emotions, not even when it's about Afuro Terumi. When Endou finally pulls away a little, he's shocked to see the tears beginning to gather in the blond's eyes, his lips trembling in a way that has nothing to do with being cold or feverish. He opens his mouth to say something, though he isn't even sure what, or how to ask what is wrong, but Aphrodi just catches his palm and presses his cheek into it, and Endou's expression softens once more. He glances up for a moment to see Gouenji press his lips against the top of the blond's head, and he has a slight suspicion that the striker probably already figured the answer out.

And then, without even thinking about it at all, Aphrodi finds himself just _saying it out_ ; the words he's been hiding even from himself, for fear there might be an answer to the question. "I can... come back next time, too, right?"

"What?" The expression on Endou's face is nothing short of stupid. Obviously, he doesn't understand the question, and that frustrates Aphrodi, because how else could he phrase it, and, really, hasn't he made himself vulnerable enough already?

"Will I have somewhere to come back to?" he repeats, his voice actually shaking now, and only when the expression on Endou's face doesn't change, does it cross Aphrodi's mind that the earlier question might have been out of incredulity instead of failure to understand him - and that causes an oddly warm feeling to bubble up in his chest, then even further up into his throat, till it begins to sting the back of his eyes.

It's a good thing Endou's palm is already on his cheek, so he can wipe away the tears with his thumb before they would get a chance to roll down. He does the same on the other side with his lips, kissing the skin under his eyes so softly it's barely even a touch, and yet it makes Aphrodi's heart aflutter, and - how stupid - also makes him want to cry more.

"Of course you will," Gouenji whispers somewhere above his head, because _someone_ has to say things out, even if Endou is already conveying everything that needs to be known; the brunette only nods, and continues methodically kissing and nuzzling Aphrodi's cheek until the blond really can't resist smiling anymore.

"Let's go sleep," Endou murmures into Aphrodi's ear, his hot breath on his ear shell making goosebumps ripple up on his arms, and even if there's a last, tiny fracture of sensibility in Aphrodi that says it might not be the best idea for them to share their bed with a sick person, he's too weak, too tired, too scared of loneliness to object. He allows Endou to tug him with himself, even though it means he needs to get out of the warmth of both the blankets and Gouenji.

"I could have-..." the striker begins, but Endou gives him a look above Aphrodi's head that the blond cannot quite find a logical explanation for.

"I can't let you have all the fun! C'mon, hang onto me," the latter sentence is for Aphrodi, and he complies at once, wrapping both his arms around the brunette's neck, and allowing him to lift him up into his arms. He can't help his thoughts constantly returning to how utterly _strange_ this entire evening is. He knows he wouldn't normally let them do this, but things are anything but normal, and deep down, he knows there is no way for him to shut his heart close again, now that he's opened it for them so much. Not tonight. So, he lets Endou carry him, with Gouenji trailing behind them, his head pressed against the brunette's shoulder, and silently marvels at how **real** it all feels. They aren't just making it a show to make him feel better. They truly **do** care about him this much - it's something Aphrodi hasn't experienced before getting close to them, and, at times like this, it still catches him completely off guard. But even then, there's not much he could (or would want to) do about it other than enjoy it, even if there is still a shred of shame remaining (because, isn't he being pathetic?). Then again, if anyone, Endou and Gouenji are the only people Aphrodi truly feels safe with, safe enough to be himself; they love him, that he knows, even if sometimes he's uncertain - the uncertainty is more aimed at himself than the two of them, anyways -; they love him just as he is, even if sometimes he is weak; and so, with them - and _with them alone_ -, he can **allow himself** to be weak sometimes.

The ride doesn't last nearly as long as Aphrodi would like it. Truthfully, he could fall asleep then and there, in Endou's arms, but he doesn't want to give him more trouble than he already has. It's hard, though; the other smells wonderful, and Aphrodi is so, so tired and drowsy. Up until the moment he is gently set down into a sitting position on the edge of the bed, he doesn't even notice that Gouenji has disappeared somewhere along the way. The striker appears a few seconds later, and even Endou has to blink in confusion upon the sight of the almost mischievous smile on his face. Gouenji pulls his hands forward, and Endou and Aphrodi both laugh out at the sight of the blow-dryer. They both know he's right, there's no need for explanations. If they went to bed with their hair still damp, Aphrodi would definitely not feel any better by morning, and even the other two would catch a cold themselves (although that's still a possibility, given that they were going to sleep together).

Endou goes first, taking the blow-dryer out of Gouenji's hand, and drying his hair in less than three minutes. Well, easy for him, with hair that short. Gouenji's hair, of course, stayed entirely dry, so he doesn't need it at all. When Aphrodi reaches for it, though, the striker still gets there faster, and takes it out of Endou's hand before Aphrodi could even stand up from the bed. Upon the confused look he's receiving, he merely smiles. "I want to do it."

Gouenji kneels up on the bed behind the blond, and switches the blow-dryer on again. Aphrodi shivers as the hot air reaches his neck, and his damp locks of hair begin to fly around his face. He ducks his head a little to give the other easier access. Meanwhile, Endou watches them from the floor, where he sat down at Aphrodi's feet, a moment later leaning his chin onto the blond's knees. Aphrodi finds himself unable to resist the temptation of running his fingers through the messy (but dry and soft) brown locks. It's certainly unusual, especially in hindsight as he thinks about the past hour, that he's the center of attention like this, but he would be lying if he said he disliked it. He also tries to give back, to show his appreciation for all this, as much as he is capable of right now; he tilts his head according to where Gouenji is moving to give him easy access to all parts, and meanwhile, he doesn't stop caressing Endou's hair, the movement eventually melting into something like a head massage. He has to laugh a little when Endou lets out a muffled moan into the fabric of his pants; he's reminded of a night from a long time ago, when he kicked the two of them out of bed for being too noisy while Gouenji was giving Endou a head massage. Idly, he wonders if Endou still has that weird object they used (he also remembers having found it before the incident, and wondering why Endou kept a defective egg beater in his nightstand's drawer), but his line of thought is cut short when Gouenji finally switches the blow-dryer off, and the blond finds that his own hair is now comfortably warm and dry as well. He tilts his head backwards to express his gratitude - but apparently, there is no need for him to do so, because Gouenji instantly takes the opportunity to press their lips together; that's enough thanks to him.

* * *

It's funny how sometimes you don't understand something, and yet, somehow, at the very same time, you still **do**.

Exhaustion finally takes over completely as soon as all three of them are under the covers, and Aphrodi doesn't even have the strength to complain about being in the middle. For once, it makes his heart do funny things in his chest, funny but _good_ things, so, come to think of it, he doesn't even really _want_ to complain at all; and, for twice, before he could even open his mouth, Endou is already telling him that the best way to push a fever down (according to his mom) is to stay warm, and - given their earlier experiences - what would be a better way of doing that than by letting _them_ keep him in warmth?

Then, before he can even realize what's going on, Endou is snuggled up to his chest, hugging him in a way that somehow gives Aphrodi the impression that the other is feeling vulnerable - it sounds impossible, and still -, and a moment later, it's confirmed in words, as the brunette murmurs a soft apology into the fabric of his shirt. And Aphrodi doesn't understand, not on the surface, at least - whatever would Endou need to apologize for, when they've both given him so much today? -, and yet, deep down, instinctively, on a level that hovers somewhere in between subconsciousness and actual thoughts, the blond still **knows**. And that knowledge, as strange as it feels, gives him more confidence than every other reassuring he's been given altogether.

Because, for once, finally, he is able to realize that the other two actually feel the same as he does. The way Gouenji lets out a soft sigh, wrapping his arm around both Aphrodi and Endou's waist after tugging the covers a bit higher up only confirms it further. He's not the only one who's uncertain. He's not alone in being intimidated of what the future holds. _**He's no third wheel.**_

With that knowledge wedged firmly into his mind now, there is only one thing that remains to be said. He presses his back a little closer to Gouenji, and lowers his head to bury his face in Endou's hair, and, much like how they've answered all his unsaid questions, it's his turn to do the same.

"I'll come back, for sure."

And their world is a full circle again.

**Author's Note:**

> Congratulations for getting through your exams, Abby! I'm very proud of you, and I'm glad to be your friend! Please continue to inspire me, and I'll give it my best, too.  
> Love, Ronnie


End file.
